CLINTON, Mo. – Tommy Dillon, 55, of Manhattan, Kan., out-fished 51 competitors this weekend to earn $4,849 and 100 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Plains Division season finale – a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Truman.
Dillon caught 10 pounds of bass on opening day to qualify for the second and final day of competition. On day two, he caught three bass weighing 12-6 to top Jack Davidson of Pleasanton, Kan., who finished with a day-two catch of 6-9 worth $2,424. Dillon caught his bass using a brown plastic worm.
Kirk Fischer of Jefferson City, Mo., took third place and collected $1,212 with a day-two catch weighing 5-9. Gene Rampani of Wright City, Mo., placed fourth and earned $1,051 with a day-two catch weighing 4-13, while James Sprague of Bonner Springs, Kan., placed fifth and earned $970 despite not weighing a fish on day two. Sprague earned his place based on catching 10 pounds, 4 ounces of bass on opening day.
Davidson won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $510 with a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass that he caught while flipping a Berkley Power worm.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,424 went to Gary White, 46, of Lamar, Mo., who topped 51 competitors with a day-two catch weighing 4 pounds, 4 ounces. White caught 4 pounds, 13 ounces of bass on opening day to qualify for the final round.
Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,212 went to James Jackman of Brookfield, Mo., with a day-two catch weighing 2-8, while Rick Reedy of Barrington, Ill., took third place and $606 with a day-two catch weighing 2-3. Jackman won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $255 with a 7-pound bass that he caught on opening day while flipping a worm.
Buzz Hawpe won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures. Hawpe caught three bass weighing 8-8 on opening day.
The trail’s championship event, the Red Man All-American, will award $100,000 to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler. Overall, more than $5.7 million could be awarded in 2000 based on full fields in each of the series’ 119 events nationwide.